Bobbin depositing apparatus



Feb. 27, 1968 K. LAAGER 3,370,398

BOBBIN DEPOSITING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1965 INVENTOR KHSPRR LARGER WWW v M United States Patent Dftice 3,3793% Patented Feb. 27, 1968 3,370,398 BOBBIN DEPUSITING APPARATUS Kaspar Laager, Kusnacht, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor t Maschineufabrik Scharer, Seestrasse, Erlenbach, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,110 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 8, 1964, 6,030/ 64 2 Claims. (Cl. 53248) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLQSURE A bobbin box is provided with guide means for receiving bobbins from a winding machine. The bobbins are deposited in at least one vertical row between the guide means in the box. The bobbin box includes an apparatus for depositing the bobbins in a vertical row between the guide means, the apparatus comprises pivotally mounted flap members which extend into the path of fall of the bobbins. Weight means are adjustably positioned on each flap member so that the point of equilibrium of the flap member is changeable by adjusting the position of the weight. The axis for pivotally mounting the flap members may be either in substantial parallel relationship with the vertical plane containing the axes of the falling bobbins or it may be at an inclination to the vertical plane.

Summary of the invention The present invention has reference to an improved bobbin depositing apparatus for winding machines for the deposition of bobbins in bobbin boxes or magazines in which the bobbins are deposited from above in vertical rows.

For certain automatic bobbin change mechanisms for looms there are employed special bobbin boxes in which the bobbins are arranged in vertical rows, one such bobbin box or magazine exhibiting a plurality of such vertical rows. Guide ledges or rails are provided at the side walls of the bobbin box in order to form these vertical rows. In these guide rails the bobbin head and the bobbin tip are guided such that there appear the aforesaid vertical rows.

In known Winding machines the finished wound bobbin is ejected from the winding head and by means of a slide member is permitted to fall in horizontal position. The relatively heavy bobbin head of such bobbins causes them to orient themselves at an inclination during their fall. This results in the bobbins failing to arrive at their desired position in the bobbin box or magazine. It will further be appreciated that when the bobbin box is still empty the path of fall is relatively long. Thus, the danger exists that the yarn package will become damaged or the individual yarn arrangements will open or become entangled.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for depositing bobbins in a bobbin magazine so as to prevent the previously mentioned disadvantages and to render easier at a winder deposition of the bobbins in the aforesaid bobbin boxes in the manner previously described.

A further very important object of this invention relates to an improved construction of apparatus for depositing bobbins in a bobbin box in such a manner that the bobbins are positively arranged in desired position within the bobbin box and, in so doing, the danger of damaging or otherwise adversely aifecting the yarn package is considerably reduced.

Generally speaking, the inventive bobbin depositing apparatus is characterized by the features that means are provided for delaying or retarding the bobbins falling into the bobbin box and which are guided in guides of the bobbin box, with such bobbins swiping or brushing past such delaying means. More specifically, it will be understood that one or more flap members can be provided as the delaying means which are arranged so as to extend into the path of fall of the guided bobbin. Each flap member can be provided with an adjustable weight, whereby the point of equilibrium of the flap member can be changed by selectively positioning the adjustable weight. Moreover, as many flap members can be provided as are necessary to break the falling bobbin at at least three quarters of its path of fall. Also, in accordance with a variant physical structure of the inventive apparatus the pivot axis of each flap member can be disposed at an inclination to the vertical plane in which is situated the axis of the guided falling bobbin.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of bobbin depositing apparatus incorporating individual flap members and arranged in a bobbin box, with portions of the physical structure of such bobbin box broken away to provide clarity in illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a plan View of the bobbin depositing apparatus depicted in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the bobbin depositing apparatus of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 illustrates a variant arrangement of the flap members.

Describing now the drawing, the bobbin depositing apparatus A depicted in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 and which serves for the orderly deposition of bobbins 16 into a bobbin box or magazine 20 depicted in phantom lines in FIGURE 1 comprises two rail members 10 at which there are mounted, by way of example, four flap memers 12 by means of respective pivot shafts or pins 11. For instance, such flap members 12 can be formed of flexed sheet metal to which there is connected the associated pivot shaft or pin 11, as by welding for instance, as well as a respective weight member 13 by means of screws 14 or equivalent fastening expedients.

It will be seen by referring to FIGURE 3 that the weight member 13 is displaceably connected at its associated flap member 12 since the screws 14 are shiftable within the elongated holes 15. The rails 10 extend into the bobbin box 20 and are operably connected with a non-illustrated winder such that a bobbin 16 ejected from the winder, and during such time as it is falling into the bobbin box 24), first impacts against the uppermost flap member 12. Due to impact of the bobbin 12 and by virtue of its weight, the projecting portion 17 of the flap member 12 is rocked downwardly into the positions depicted by reference numerals 12a, 12b, 12c. Upon impact of the bobbin 16 with the uppermost flap member 12 such bobbin is already guided in the pair of guide means or rails 21 of the bobbin box-only a portion of one such guide rail is visible in FIGURE 1so that it cannot be deflected out of its vertical path of fall due to impact with the uppermost flap member 12.

Due to impact with the individual flap members 12 and due to pivoting of the same, whereby in each in stance the weight 13 of the corresponding flap member 12 must be raised, the speed of fall is reduced to such an extent that there is prevented the danger of damaging the yarn package or the bobbin.

According to a variant embodiment and as shown in FIGURE 4, the pivot shaft 11' of each of the flap members 12 can be disposed at an inclination with respect to the vertical plane in which is located the axis of the falling bobbin. As a result, the braking force is not uniformly distributed over the entire bobbin length, rather,

for instance, increases towards the bobbin head, whereby the speed of fall of the bobbin in the region of the bobbin head is more strongly reduced than in the region of the bobbin tip. In this manner, there is counteracted the tendency of the bobbins to fall into their bobbin bOX with the bobbin head leading.

Moreover, the bobbins 16 have the tendency of rolling off the corresponding flap member 12 and not sliding therealong, whereby there is also prevented damage to the yarn. The weight 13 which is fastened to the anglelike flap member 12 must be selected such that the brake force produced by such weight is never so large that the bobbins are completely stopped and do not fall past the flap member. It should be apparent that by displacing the weight 13 in the region of the elongated holes 15 it is possible to randomly select the brake force and thereby also the position of equilibrium of the flap member.

Considering now in greater detail the operation of the inventive bobbin depositing apparatus A it will be appreciated that the bobbin magazine or box into which the bobbins 16 are deposited is schematically shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. In order to more clearly reveal the positioning of the inventive apparatus within such bobbin box 20 portions thereof have been broken away or only fragmentarily depicted. Furthermore, it will be understood that the bobbin box 20, for instance at its right side does not have an end wall so that the bobbin depositing apparatus B can be laterally inserted thereinto and into the position shown, for stacking bobbins 16 along the left end of the bobbin box 20. It will also be understood that the side walls of this bobbin box 20 are provided with cooperating pairs of vertical guide rails 21, extending substantially throughout the height of the bobbin box and only one of which partially appears in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. One such guide rail 21 of each pair serves to guide the bobbin head and the other the bobbin tip, and a plurality of such pairs of guide rails 21 extend from the left to the right end of the bobbin box 20, so that a corresponding number of vertical rows of bobbins can be arranged therein.

Assuming that the bobbin depositing apparatus A assumes the position of FIGURE 1, then, bobbins 16 are deposited between the guide rails 21 and successively fall down from one flap member 12 onto the next until reaching the floor of the bobbin box, as such has occurred for the lowermost bobbin shown in FIGURE 1. When this happens, the lowermost flap member 12 is held in position 12c and the successive bobbins are stacked one on top of the other in a vertical row. As the height of the stack of bobbins increases towards the top of the bobbin box 20 each of the flap members 12 will be pivoted into a position corresponding to position 120 and held in such position by a bobbin located substantially at the same elevational position within the row. Thus, as the height of the row of stacked bobbins increases the free fall path correspondingly decreases and the flap 4 members 12 front the bottom towards the top of the inventive apparatus are successively pivoted into their inoperative position, such as 12c, where they are disposed outside of the path of fall of the bobbins. Now, when such row is filled with a stack of bobbins 16 the bobbin box or magazine 24 is moved to the left of FIGURE 1 so that the flap members 12 are now disposed between the non-illustrated next adjacent pair of guide rails 21 and this process is repeated until the entire bobbin box 20 is filled with a plurality of stacked rows of bobbins 16.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced Within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a bobbin box, provided with guide means for receiving bobbins from a winding machine which are deposited in at least one vertical row between said guide means within said bobbin box, of an apparatus for depositing the bobbins in a vertical row between said guide means comprising means for delaying bobbins falling into said bobbin box and guided be-. tween said guide means, said delaying means being positioned in the path of fall of said bobbins so as to be contacted by said bobbins, and said delaying means comprising as many flap members as are necessary to brake the. falling bobbins at at least three quarters of their path of fall.

2. The combination with a bobbin box, provided with guide means for receiving bobbins from a winding machine which are deposited in at least one vertical row between said guide means within said bobbin box, of an apparatus for depositing the bobbins in a vertical row between said guide means comprising means for delaying bobbins falling into said bobbin box and guided betweensaid guide means, said delaying means being positioned in the path of fall of said bobbins so as to be contacted by said bobbins, said delaying means comprising at least one flap member, means for pivotally mounting said flap member so, as to extend into said path'of fall of said bobbins, said means for pivotally mounting said flap member having the axis of pivoting of said flap member at an inclination with respect to the vertical plane containing the axis of the falling bobbins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1912 Gardner 193+32 5/1963 Furst et al. 53--248X 

